Schools won’t open again after all, after unions outcry

In a late-night dramatic about-turn, Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw has declared an early end to the current Hilary Term.

Earlier, during an an online consultation on COVID-19, organized by the ministry, Bradshaw said school would resume tomorrow with a week and two days remaining.

That decision led to a loud outcry from teachers and their unions, who urged that schools be closed in light of two cases of the coronavirus being confirmed in Barbados on Tuesday.

Bradshaw’s change of heart came late tonight after discussing the matter at the regular pre-Cabinet Parliamentary group meeting tonight.

Around 11:25 she announced: “It has been agreed that in light of several factors, including the fact that Thursday and Friday of this week were scheduled sports days and that next week is the final week of term, that the current school term shall be brought forward to an end Thursday 19th March, 2020.

“We shall continue consultations with stakeholders as to the way forward in light of the escalated coronavirus pandemic.”

The two major teachers’ unions voiced their opposition to keeping the schools open and one stopped just short of declaring a full-blown strike earlier today.

The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) predicted that if schools continue to remain open, “legitimate absentee issues” would arise among employees, especially those whose health classifies them as high-risk cases.

The Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) said it had secured an emergency meeting with education officials to discuss a more “appropriate response” in the interest of staff and students.

In its statement, the BUT advised that among educators who may opt to stay away from the classroom are those whose health conditions force them into self-isolation and those who prioritise social distancing as mandated by the Ministry of Health. The BUT also warned against placing sanctions on those who stay away.

While expressing support for the Government’s commitment to working with public health officials and acknowledging the implications of a national shutdown, the union warned against placing “economic indices” above human lives, specifically the over “30,000 souls” in schools as young as three years old.

The statement added: “The union urges the Ministry of Education to initiate an appropriate response, protect students and those in its employ from exposure, in order to reduce the opportunities for the possible transmission of the virus and ease the possible impact on the national health care system.

BSTU President Mary Redman also acknowledged the disapproval of members with the outcome of the virtual meeting in light of numerous lingering questions put together by the union which have not yet been answered.

Redman wrote the Minister of Education seeking an urgent audience to discuss the issues.

She said: “[The Minister] has agreed to a meeting and she will indicate the time and place and our officer corps is ready to meet at any time.

Mary Redman

“A meeting of that type will allow us a better opportunity to clarify certain realities and to persuade towards the outcome that we think is best for students, for all workers in education and for the society as a whole.”

Redman declined to state the union’s direct demands.

During today’s online consulation, Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who made a brief appearance, said she was sensitive to the teachers’ concerns, while disclosing: “Cabinet will make the decisions tomorrow, believe you me.”

She said: “I give Barbadians the assurance, Barbadian teachers the assurance we are not going to play fast and loose,” added Mottley, who advised teachers who were in the most vulnerable category to get a letter from their doctors and present it to the Chief Education Officer “and the rest of us who can lift weight let us lift weight even if it means some of us have to come in the classroom and help”.

Bradshaw, also insisted that her ministry was following the science, and would not treat the matter lightly.

She said: “We have to first of all be guided by the science and from all of the information received from both PAHO and the WHO and our medical teams here in Barbados at the Ministry of Health, all of the information points to one single thing, that the data does not suggest that our children are at the highest risk.

“Therefore, in terms of the environment in a school yes, there are a number of children who will congregate but you have not been seeing a case of transmission in those children.”

Bradshaw said Government would not have a knee-jerk reaction to the situation, but would act based on the risk and scientific evidence.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb